weeks



(No Mddel.) 2 Sheets8heet 1. M. BARBER & S. P. WEEKS.

LA]? FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GARDING MACHINES.

No. 349,201. Patented Sept. 14. 1886.

(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2. M. BARBER & S. P. WEEKS.

LA P FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GARDING MAORI-NBS. No. 349,201; PatentedSept. 14, 1886;

V Meek/m PETERS. PlmtoLilhngr-uphw, Wmhingtnn, D. C.

" UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

MosEs BARBER AND STEPHEN P. wEEKs, OF SOUTH oovENTEY, ooNN.

-L AP-FE EDING MECHANISM FOR CARDlNG-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,201, datedSeptember 14, 1886.

Application filed May 20, 1886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MosEs BARBER and STEPHEN I. WVEEKs, of SouthCoventry, Windham county, Connecticut, have made certain new and usefulImprovements in'Lap- Feeding Mechanisms for Garding-Machines, whichimprovements are fully set forth and described in the followingspecification, refer-- ence being had to the accompanying two sheets ofdrawings.

Our invention relates, principally, to the mechanism in carding-machinesby which the lap or so-called sliver is delivered from the full beam tothe carding and condensing mechanism, our immediate object being toprovide a simple device which shall automatically control and deliversaid lap or sliver as fast as needed, and which shall also maintain auniform degree of tension 011 said lap, acting equally well with eithera full or nearly empty beam. Inasmuch as an imperfect yarn must ofnecessity produce imperfect cloth, it is desirable, if not absolutelynecessary, in drawing down the lap that a uniform size and weight bemaintained, and especially so in the so-callcd second breakerandfinisher.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of thebeam-supporting frame, located in the usual place at the rear of thecarding-machine proper, a portionof said machine-frame, with itsfeed-rollers d (1', being also shown in said figure. Fig. 2 is anenlarged detached view of our new regulating device, looking from theinner side. Fig. 3 is a modification of said device, showing a slightlydifferent means for operating the movable shield, described in detailhereinafter; and Fig. 4 is a detached side view, partly in section,showing the relative positions of the rotating disk K, the ratchet-wheelh, roller 0, and their common shaft, a. Fig. 5 shows the end of shaft aopposite to that shown in Fig. 1 provided with a friction-disk and pawlto check the movement of roll 0.

I The letter A represents one of the beamsupporting frames, the oppositeframe being of the same general shape. I

B represents the beam, and O (in dotted line, Fig. 1) the roll on whichsaid beam rests. The middle portion of the frame A is inclined, as

Serial No. 202,726. (No model.)

shown, and the bearings a of the beam rest against said inclined rearside, the lap resting on the roll 0. As the lap is taken from the beamand the roll is reduced in diameter, the

bearings a gradually ride downward on the g inclined frame.

Pivoted in the upper end of the supportingframe is a rock-shaft, I),having attached to it and extending rearward an arm, 0, from the outerend of which is suspended a weighted rod, E, and also extending in theopposite direction is an arm, E.

Attached to shaft 7) at each end are arms F, which, reaching welldownward between the frame Aand the carding-machine proper, support intheir free ends a pivoted roll, G, around which the lap 0 passes afterleaving roll 0.

Said lap is then passed around roll H, and

from thence is led direct to the feed-rollers d d. I

The counterbalanced roll G is "provided to maintain a given degree oftension on the lap, and in order to hold said roll G in approximatelythe same position at all times we have arranged a let-off mechanism,which we will proceed to describe, by which the beam is rotated to giveoff the necessary amount or length of lap as often as required by thefeed-rolls of the carding-machine, said let-off 'ineehanisln beingcaused to act by the forward or backward movement of said roll G. Thetension of the lap remains the same at all times, and roll G simplyswings with said lap for the purpose, as above stated, of operating saidlet-off mechanism.

On the outer end of the shaft a, which carries roll 0, is aloosely-fitting disk, K, keptin continuous rotary motion by a belt, f,leading from and connected with the driving mechanism of thecarding-machine. Adjacent'to disk K, on its inner side, is aratchet-wheel, h, secured rigidly to shaft a. The disk K carries aseries of pawls, '6, which, under certain conditions, hereinafterexplained, engage the ratchet-wheel to rotate roller 0 and let off thelap as needed. The pawls z are kept from engagement with the greaterportion of ratchet-wheel h by a fixed shield, L, which is bolted orotherwise secured to the frame A. This shield L is cut away at its upperside to expose several ratchet-teeth, and is so located that the pawls,as they travel with disk ](,ride on said shield until they reach theexposed ratchet-teeth. when they drop into said teeth and move roll 0.When the shield is again reached, the pawls ride upward onto theperiphery of said shield and out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel,which then stops.

It will be obvious to one familiar with card ing machinery that if thepawls were left free to act continuously on the ratchet-wheel the lapwould be let off much faster than the carding mechanism could take careof it; so, to check the movement of the lap and to regulate the feedingmechanism, we have provided a second shield, It, pivoted to shield IA,and formed as an arc of the same circle as said shield Ii, said section7.: being so connected to the other mechanism that it is raised at theproper instant to throw the pawls out of the ratchet-teeth, and thuscause roll 0 to stop.

'Shield 7.: is operated by a weighted arm, N,

whose right-angular extension 0 is connected with lever-arm E by a rod,01.

In Figs. 1. and 2thc auxiliary movable shield it has an arm, 1):,extending outward past the pivotal point of the weighted lever N, and soslotted that it is limited in its upward or downward movement by saidpivot, as plainly shown in Fig. 2. Secured in arm N, on each side of armm, is a pin or lug, p, which as'arm N is rocked to the right hand (seeFig. 2) engages the arm at to elevate it, and, in consequence, todepress shield is, so that the pawls may reach and move theratchet-wheel. IVhen the weighted lever Njs moved toward the left hand,pin 1) depresses arm on and raises shield k to throw the pawls out ofengagement with the ratchet-teeth.

Referring again to the rock-shaft b,it should be understood that thearms 0 F/ F are praetically a single piece, and that they all center inor on said rock-shaft. As the feed-rolls d d draw the roving into thecarding-machine the roll G is moved slowly toward frame A, whichmovement causes rod a to rock lever N. Said lever travels very slowlyuntil its weight passes the center of gravity, when it drops forciblyforward, and by engagement of pin 1) with the shield-arm m throws theshield Ii: downward, thus allowing the pawls to move roll 0 and the beamto deliver the required amount of lap or sliver. As said lap is allowedto unwind the counterbalanced roll G travels away from frame A,preserving a uniform tension on said lap. When roll Ghas traveled therequired distance, rod it again brings arm N back past the center ofgravity, and the shield 7.: is knocked up into position to protect theratchet from'the pawls and stop the rotary movement of the beam.Themovements described are repeated automatically as more of the lap isrequired, the counterbalanced roll G preserving at all times the samedegree of tension on said lap.

In Fig. 3 we have shown the movable shield as pivoted on the same studwhich supports the arm N, and said arm is connected by red r with asliding piece, If, arranged to move longitudinally in guides w, formedon the fixed shield L. The confronting edges of pieces 7; and I are cutdiagonally, as ate, and it will be understood by referring to said Fig.3 that a sliding movement of piece I will elevate the free end of shieldk, and thus throw the pawls out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel.The reverse movement of piece 1 allows the shield to drop, when thepawls again act to rotate or partially rotate the beam.

In place of the weight which we use as a counter-balance for roll G, aspring could be used; but we prefer the system shown, as it gives a moreuniform counterbalance. The pawls on disk K are held in proper positionwithout the use of springs by a flange cast integral with said disk, asshown.

In order to change a nearly empty beam for a full one without stoppingthe machine, we have provided a roll, 'r,which is hung in arms a,secured to theframcs A. (See Fig. 1.) This roll 1' is held in engagementwith roll 0 by a spring, a. Vhen a beam is nearly empty, the remainingends of the lap are allowed to hang from the rear side of said roll 0,and a full beam is placed in proper position. The Several ends of theold lap are now pieced or connected to the new, being accomplishedwithout stopping or even delaying the work for an instant. It will beevident that the supporting-arms 8 could, if preferred, be pivoted toframeAabove roll 0, instead of below, as herein shown.

In Fig. 5 we have shown a disk, 1), secured to the end of shaft aopposite to that carrying the pawl-and-ratchet device described above.This disk is formed with a series of projections on its periphery, whichas roll 0 revolves engage and lifta pawl, w, pivoted to the main frameA, said pawl being held in contact with disk 12 by a spring, m,- or, ifpreferred,it (the pawl) may be madeheavy enough to accomplish thedesired effect. The devices thus described are provided to overcome anyinclination on the part of roll 0 to continue its rotary movement afterthe pawls are thrown out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel h. XVhilethe friction-stops thus provided act to check the momentum of roll 0 theinstant the pawls tare thrown out of ratehct-disk h, they do not offerresistance enough to interfere with the free working of said pawls anddisk.

Having thus described our invention, we claim In combination with a beam-snpporting frame having accntral diagonal section adapted to receiveand support the hearings of the beam, a rock-shaft pivoted in saidframe,having depending arms carrying in their free ends a roller, andbeing provided, also, with the weighted arm 0 and arm E, as described, aroller located below and :ulapied to support to said ratchetwheel, andprovided with a sethe beam, carrying a ratchet wheel, as deand connectedin substantially the manner and scribed, a flanged disk loosely fittedon the for the object specified. shaft which carries said ratchet-Wheelad acent MOSES BARBER.

STEPHEN I. VEEKS.

Witnesses to the signature of Moses Barber:

0. S. MELD UM, v M. J. WELLER. Witnesses to the signature of Stephen P.WVeeks:

JOHN HAIGH, v E. W. PHILLIPs.

ries of pawls, as described, a fixed shield adj acent tosaidratchet-Wheel, having its upper portion cut away, as described, anauxiliary shield, k, located and pivoted substantially as described,andmechanism for operating said auxiliary shield, consisting of theweighted arm N and a connecting-rod extending from said arm to the armE, all of said elements being formed

